Blower connections for vacuum cleaners



w. N. KEMNITZ BLOWER cormscnous FOR VACUUM cumsas 'Filedfic. 21. 1954April 16, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor 4 Warren N Kem'n'atz,

His Attorney.

April 16, 1957 w. N. KEMNITZ BLOWER CONNECTIONS FOR VACUUM CLEANERSFiledDec. 21, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lal m w m n r e r N m w fA w s b inN a a. aid .fl W v. w hm WM. b R m t RH Q No S a. G wvmm a m w a N W lApril 16, 1957 w. N. KEMNITZ 2,788,935 BLOWER CONNECTIONS FOR VACUUMCLEANERS Filed Dec. 21, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 .21 4 W fi/As At COXDQy.

iltcd States atent BLOWER CONNECTIONS FGR VACUUM CLEANERS Warren N.Kemnitz, Willoughby, Ohio, assigncr to General Electric Company, acorporation of New York Application December 21, 1954, Serial No. 477,002

11 Claims. (Cl. 230-47) The present application is a continuationin-partof my copending application, Serial No. 394,380, filed November 25,1953, now abandoned, and assigned to the assignee of the presentapplication.

The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners of the type wherein thedischarge opening for air flowing from the cleaner is in the form ofpassage means which extends circumferentially of the cleaner casing.Such discharge passage means is found, for example in vacuum cleaners ofthe so-t-ermed canister or vertical tank type.

In connection with vacuum cleaners it is desirable to be able to attachthe vacuum cleaner hose to the discharge side of the cleaner so that itmay be used as a blower, and the general object of the present inventionis to provide improved means whereby a hose may be attached to thedischarge side of a vacuum cleaner of the type above referred towhich'is simple in structure, easy to use, and capable of beingmanufactured at low cost.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention,attention is directed to the following specification and to the claimsappended thereto.

According to a now preferred form of the invention, there is provided inconnection with the discharge passage means of a vacuum cleaner, valvemeans for blocking the flow of air through such passage means anddirecting the air to a blower outlet opening to which the vacuum cleanerhose may be connected, the arrangement being such that the pressure ofthe air built up on the discharge side of the vacuum cleaner fan servesto assist in holding the valve means in its air blocking or what may betermed its closed position. Preferably the arrangement is such that theactuation of the valve means from its normal or what may be termed itsopen position to its closed position is elfected by the hose couplingwhen it is positioned in the blower outlet opening.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view, partly in section and partly broken away, ofone form of a vacuum cleaner embodying the invention;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are detail views of the form of a vacuum cleaner shownin Fig. l, partly in section, illustrating successive steps in theoperation of connecting a vacuum cleaner hose to the blower outletopening;

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of parts of the blower outletopening structure viewed from the direction indicated by the sectionline 55, Fig. 1.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are detail views, similar to Figs. 2, 3 and 4,respectively, of another form of a vacuum cleaner embodying theinvention.

Referring to the Figs. 1-5 of the drawings, 6 indicates the vacuumcleaner casing which is in the form of a cylinder comprising an annularside wall 7 and end walls Sand 9. The casing is supported at its twoends by wheels 10 and 11. In the side wall of casing 6 is a suctioninlet opening 12 in which a vacuum cleaner hose may be connected fornormal cleaning. Suitably arranged in the casing are the usual powerunit comprising an electric motor and a fan driven thereby and thevacuum cleaner Patented Apr. id,

bag for filtering the dirt-laden air. These parts have not beenillustrated as their specific structures form no part of the presentinvention; any suitable structure and arrangement of power unit andfiltering means may be used. In Fig. 1, 13 indicates an annular wallattached to end Wall 9 on which the power unit is supported and 14indicates the discharge side wall of the fan housing which is annularand forms an annular passage means 15 through which air after enteringthrough inlet 12 and passing through the filtering means and the fan isdischarged to an annular air discharge chamber 15 defined by theperipheral portions of annular end wall 9 and fan side wall 14 andannular power unit supporting wall 13.

The disk portion of wheel 11 is shaped as shown in the drawing and has acentral opening to the edge of which is attached a bearing ring 17 whichturns in an outwardly facing annular bearing pocket defined by theperipheral portion of a disk 18 attached to end wall 9 by screws 19,such peripheral portion being provided with an axially extending annularwall 20 which forms the bottom wall of the pocket and an annular flange21 on the edge of wall 24 which in conjunction with the adjacent portionof casing end wall 9 forms the two side walls of the bearing pocket.Wheel 10 may have a shape similar to that of wheel 11 and be journaledon end wall 8 in a similar manner or by other suitable means if desired.

In the peripheral portion of casing end wall 9 are a series ofcircumferentially spaced air discharge openings 25 through which airdischarged by the vacuum cleaner fan to annular chamber 16 may flow toan annular area 26 between the disk portion of wheel 11 and end wall 9;and from area 26 the air may flow through an annular air dischargepassage 27 defined by the portion 28 of the disk'cf wheel 11 and theopposed portion of casing end wall 9. Attached to the inner surface ofend wall 9 around each opening 25 is a sealing pad 29 of suitablematerial such as felt and attached to its outer surface is a sheet ofsound deadening felt insulating material 30, it having openings in linewith opening 25.

In the normal operation of vacuum cleaner air entering the casingthrough a vacuum cleaner hose fastened in opening 12, after passingthrough the filtering means and the fan is discharged from the fan toannular chamber 16 from which it flows by way of openings 25, andannular discharge passage 27 to atmosphere, as indicated by the arrowsin Fig. 1. My invention has to do specifically with improved means forblocking or shutting ed the flow of air through annular openings 25 andannular discharge passage 27 and directing it to a blower opening towhich a vacuum cleaner hose may be attached.

The blower opening is formed by a central passage in the disk portion ofend wall 9 and in disk 18, the opening being defined by axiallyextending flanges 35, one on the end wall 9 and the other on disk 18.Mounted in the opening are two axially slidable concentric sleeves, andouter sleeve 36 which slides on flanges 35 and an inner sleeve 37 whichslides on the inner surface of sleeve 36. Attached to the outer end ofouter sleeve 36 is a spring retainer 38 which in substance forms acollar on the outer end of the sleeve and between such collar 35 anddisk 18 is a helical spring 39 which serves to bias outer sleeve 36 andcollar 38 to a position where the peripheral portion of the collarengages a stop shoulder 40 on a head 41 attached to end wall 9 by thescrews 19. Head 41 has a surface 42 on which an inturned flange 43 oncollar 38 slides. Collar 38 has a flange 44 which is located in outersleeve 36 and has a thickness the same as inner sleeve 37 so that theinner surfaces of the flange and inner sleeve are in alignment.

Attached to the inner end of inner sleeve 37 is a valve disk 45 adaptedto seat against pads 29 to close openings 25. In the present instancedisk 45 is shown as being i greases 3 attached to the end of sleeve 37by ears 46 on the sleeve which extend through openings in the disk andare bent down against the inner surface of the disk as shownparticularly in Fig. 5 where some of the ears are shown as having beenpassed through the disk and bent down while others, where the disk hasbeen broken away, are shown prior to being bent down. Projecting axiallyfrom the inner edge of outer sleeve 36 are one or more guide fingers 47(two being shown in the present instance) which slide in guide openingsin valve disk 45. Valve disk 45 is biased to open position, i. e., to aposition where it does not close openings 25, by a helical spring 48which surrounds outer sleeve 36 between end wall h and the valve diskand holds the valve disk against wall 14 which functions as a stop forthe valve disk. The valve disk is shown as having attached to it a ring45 of suitable material such as felt which forms a cushion between thevalve disk and the wall. For reasons pointed out hereinafter, inconnection with the description of the operation of the invention,spring 319 is materially stronger than spring 43.

Inner sleeve 37 forms in substance a part of valve disk 45 which slidesin outer sleeve 35 and it is provided with means which forms a shoulderor abutment adapted to be engaged by the latch of a vacuum cleaner hoseconnector for connecting the hose connector to the sleeve, i. e., tovalve disk 45. In the present instance such shoulder or abutment isformed by means of a series of circumferentially spaced openings 5) inthe sleeve, the outer edges 51 i which serve as a shoulder or abutment.Viewed from one aspect, edges 51 may be regarded as a series ofcircumferentially spaced shoulders or abutmerits, while viewed fromanother aspect, edges 51 may be regarded as an annular shoulder orabutment interrupted at spaced points by the material of the sleeve b'=tween the openings. In outer sleeve 36 in line with openings 56 areclearance openings 52 which are of sufiicient size so that outer sleeve36 will not interfere with a latch on the vacuum cleaner hose connectionengaging a'shoulder 51 as explained hereinafter.

In Fig. 2 there is shown in sectional view a vacuum cleaner hoseconnector for use with a vacuum cleaner embodying the invention, thelatch construction shown being. a known one. Referring particularly toFig. 2, 55 indicates the end of a vacuum cleaner hose to which isattached a connector 56 which comprises a short length of metal tube ofa diameter to fit either inlet opening 12 or the blower outlet opening.The latch means is shown as comprising a lever 57 held against the innersurface of connector 56 by a C-shaped spring 53 held in an annulargroove 59 in the connector wall, the spring having a depression in whichthe lever rests. At one end lever 57 has a fulcrum 61 which engages theinner surface of connector 56 and an adjacent catch nose 62 which extendthrough a slot in. connector 56, there being a sloping surface 63leading up the nose. At its other end it has a push button 64 whichprojects out through an opening in connector 56. Thus catch nose 62 isbiased to project out through the opening in connector tube 56 by spring5%. It may be moved inwardly by direct pressure on the outer end of nose62 or by pressing inwardly on push button 64 in which case lever 57pivots around its fulcrum end 61. Surrounding connector tube 56 andsuitably fixed to it is a sealing ring 65 of suitable material such asrubber which forms a collar on tube 567 The operation of this form ofthe invention follows:

Normally the parts occupy the positions shown in Fig. 1, valve disk 45being held in its open or unblocking position by spring 48 and outersliding sleeve 36 being held with collar 38 against shoulder 4! byspring 39. When in these positions the inner end of outer sleeve 36 isspaced from disk valve 45 and the outer end of inner sleeve 37 is spacedfrom the edge of flange 44 as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Now the connectorof a vacuum cleaner hose may be positioned in inlet opening 12 and thecleaner '4 operated for cleaning in the usual way as already explained.

When the cleaner is to be used as a blower, the hose connector, insteadof being positioned in inlet opening 12, is positioned in the bloweropening. Fig. 2 shows he connector as it is being inserted into theblower opening, it being part way in. it will be seen that sealing ring65 has engaged the collar 33 on the outer end of outer sleeve 36 and ispushing the sleeve inwardly, at

the same time compressing spring 39, and that catch nose 62 which waspressed inwardly when the connector was first pushed into the bloweropening is sliding along the inner surface of inner sleeve 37. Whencatch nose 6?. moves beyond a shoulder 51, the catch nose snaps intoengagement with the shoulder. This is shown in Fig. 3 where it will beseen that the catch nose is in engagement with a shoulder 51, the noseprojecting also through a clearance opening 52 in outer sleeve 36. Thepurpose of the clearance openings 52. is to permit the catch nose 62 toproject far enough through an opening 55 to insure good engagement witha shoulder 51. since the metal of sleeve 37 is fairly thin. Insofar asthe operation of this form of the invention is concerned, the essentialthing is that the catch nose shall firmly attach self to inner sleeve37. Also as shown in Fig. 3, spring 3) has been further compressed andflange 43 has been brought'into engagement with end wall 9 which servesas a stop for limiting inward movement of the connector and outer sleeve36. During this time the operator has been pushing the connector intothe blower opening. The operator new releases the connector or ceasespushing on it wereupon spring 39 expands moving outer sleeve 36 backtoward its original position. The sleeve in moving back carries theconnector with it by reason of its engagement with sealing ring 65 andthe connector carries inner sleeve 37 and disk valve 45 along with itsince the catch nose is hooked into the inner sleeve, thus pulling thevalve disk toward its closed position. Spring 39 being stronger thanspring 48 moves the valve disk in opposition to spring 48 thuscompressing further the spring 4%. At the end of the outward movementthe parts occupy the positions shown in Fig. 4. The outer sleeve 36 isback in its original position with flange 38 in engagement with stopshoulder 40. The connector is held in the blower opening by catch nose62, and valve 45 is held in closed position where it covers openings 25by spring 39, which serves also to hold spring 48 under compression. Thecleaner is now ready for use as a blower and when running the airdischarged into chamber 16 flows up along the rear wall of valve disk 45and out through the blower opening as indicated by the -ar rows in Fig.4.

It will be noted that when being used as a blower the air flows up alongthe rear or upstream side of;the valve disk, i. e., the side opposite tothe ports 25, so that the air pressure acts on the valve disk in adirection tending to move it toward its seat. This is an importantconsideration since it means that spring 39 needs to be only stronenough to efiect the movement of the valve to closed position and neednot be strong enough'to not only move the valve disk to closed positionbut also to hold it there against the airpressure built up on thedischarge side of the vacuum cleaner. The use of a lighter spring makesthe insertion and removal of the hose connector easier. Also, since theair pressureaets to hold the valve closed, it is less likely to chatteror to leak than would be the case otherwise. 7

The hose connection may be removed from the blower opening by pressingdown on pushbut-ton 64 to move catch nose 62 out of engagement withshoulder 51 and pulling the connector out of the opening. Removal of thecatch nose from engagement with shoulder 51 releases inner sleeve 37 andvalve disk 45 whereupon spring 48 moves the valve disk back to its Fig.l'open position.

Outer sleeve 36 forms in substance a spring pressed disk to closedposition. When sleeve is pushed inwardly, spring 39 is compressed andthe sleeve is connected to the valve disk through the intermediary ofthe hose connector so that when pressure on the sleeve is released thesleeve is moved outward by the spring thus pulling the valve disk toclosed position. Or considered from another aspect, connector 36 isinserted into the blower opening and hooked into engagement with thevalve disk, it at the same time putting spring 39 under compression sothat when inward pressure on the connector is released the valve. diskis pulled to closed position and held by spring 39.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 illustrate successive steps in the operation ofconnecting a vacuum cleaner hose connector to the blower outlet openingof another form of vacuum cleaner embodying the invention for thepurpose of converting from circumferential air discharge to concentratedblowing. While Figures 6, 7 and 8 show only the portions of the cleanerwhich cooperate to permit this conversion, it should be understood thatother cleaner components, similar to those disclosed in connection withthe Fig. 1-5 form of invention, are provided to complete the cleaner.

In Figures 6, 7 and 8, the annular side wall of the cleaner casing isdesignated as 70 and illustrated as supporting a discharge end wall 72and a power unit supporting wall 74. An annular discharge chamber 76 isformed by the power unit (not shown), supporting wall 74 and theadjacent peripheral portions of the discharge end wall '72. Thedischarge end wall 72 is generally disk-like, is joined at its peripheryto the side wall 70 and has a series of oflset portions which define aflat, annular valve seat 78 and a cup portion 80, which is in turndefined by cylindrical wall 82 and flat radial wall 84, which has acentral opening formed by axial flange 36. Valve seat 73 has a pluralityof circumferentially spaced openings 38 formed therein, having sealingpads 90 surrounding each opening on the upstream side of the end wall72. The downstream side of the end wall 72 in the vicinity of theopenings 88 is coated with a suitable sound deadening material 91.

Wheel 92, the only one of the two vacuum cleaner wheels illustrated, hasa central annular bearing 94 which is supported in a bearing cavityformed by the peripheral portion of the bearing plate 95 and an offsetportion 96 formed on the outer periphery of the bearing retainer 98. Theradial wall 84 of the end wall 72, the bearing plate 95 and the bearingretainer 98 are secured together by a plurality of bolts 100. Thebearing retainer 98 has a plurality of radially extending, spaced,spring fingers 102 and has an opening formed at its outer end byinwardly directed flange 104. The blower hub 166 seats on the outer endof the bearing retainer 98 and is firmly secured by the resilience ofthe spring fingers 102. Mounted within the bearing retainer 98 is avalve guide 108 having a central cylindrical portion 110 and a flatradial portion 112. The diameter of the portion 112 is greater than thatof the opening formed by flange 104, and the valve guide is positionedon the upstream side of the flange 104. The bearing plate 95 isapertured centrally and has a flange 116 formed about the aperture.Disposed between the radial portion 112 of the valveguide and bearingplate 95 is the compression spring 114, which seats about the flange 116of the bearing plate.

Valve disk 113 is generally disposed on the upstream side of the endwall 72 and comprises an inner tubular portion 120, which is slidablypositioned within the cylin drical portion 115 of the valve guide 198,the offset inner radial portion 122 which merges into the outer tubularportion 124, which is of'a larger diameter than inner tubular portion12% but of less diameter than either'of the openings in the wall 84 ofthe end wall 72 or the bearing plate 95, and which merges into theintermediate radial portion 126 which in turn is ofiset at 128 andmerges into the outer radial portion 130.

Secured to the portion 139 and circumferentially spaced thereabout areaplurality of studs 132 which extend axial- 1y toward the downstream sideof the cleaner and which constitute guide pins. Studs 132 extend throughand are slidably received in openings 134 that are circumferentiallyspaced about the valve seat '73 of the end wall 72, and haveenlargements formed on their free ends which co- .operate to maintainthe valve disk 113 mounted for slidable axial movement in that theyconstitute stops for defining the farthest position upstream that thevalve disk 118 may move to. Positioned between the flange 86 of the wall84 and the intermediate radial portion of valve disk 118 in the vicinityof where it joins the outer tubular portion 124 is a coil spring 136which is substantially weaker than the spring 114. Spring 114 normallyoverpowers spring 136 and forces valve disk 118 to its upstreamposition.

The construction just described operates in a generally similar mannerto the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 through 5. InFigures 6, 7 and 8, Fig. 6 illustrates the position of the parts whenthey are disposed for normal circumferentially dispersed exhaust fromthe annular discharge chamber 76, through the openings 83 in the endWall 72 and out between the end wall 72 and the inner periphery of Wheel92, just as a hose connector is being inserted in the blowing opening.The parts of the hose connector are identical to those described withthe reference to Fig. 1 through 5 form of the invention and, therefore,the reference numerals designating these parts are identical to thoseused in said figures.

In Figure 6, the hose connector 56 is shown after being insertedpartially in the blower opening. The connector sealing ring 65 engagesthe valve guide 18% and moves it to the right (as viewed in Fig. 7)against the pressure of the spring 114 until the catch nose 62 of thehose connec t-or latch clears the inner end of the tubular portion 12%,moves radially outwardly, and seats against the ofiset radial portion122. The latter position is shown in Figure 7 wherein it will be seenthat the valve disk 118 is spaced from the end wall '72, the spring 114is compressed and the condition of spring 136 is the same as thatillustrated in Fig. 6 (relatively unstressed). Upon releasing the hoseconnector 56, the spring 114 expands and moves the valve guide 183 tothe left toward its original position and carries the valve disk 11% tothe left until the outer radial portion of the valve disk contacts andclosely embraces the valve seat 78 of the discharge end wall, therebyclosing the openings 88. The latter occurs due to coupling which iseffected by the catch nose 62 and the radial portion 122 and due to thegreater strength of the spring 114 relative to the spring 136. Thisposition is shown in Fig. 8 wherein it will be seen that the dischargeair, as is indicated :by the arrows, must flow on the upstream side ofthe valve disk 118 and through the tubular portion 124 and 129, into thehose and out through the hose. As was previously mentioned, the valvedisk 118 is guided between its open and closed positions by its studs132 which slide in the openings 134 of the discharge end wall. It shouldbe observed that studs 132 in addition to being guide pins constitutethe sole support for valve disk 118.

In view of the foregoing, it is believed that the form of the inventionillustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8 will be clear .to those skilled inthis art. While its operation is generally the same as that of the formshown in Figures 1 through 5, it is structurally simpler than said formand constitutes an alternative construction for accomplishing thepurposes and objects of this invention.

In conclusion, it should be apparent that utilization of the pressure ofthe air on the discharge side of the vacuum cleaner fan for assisting inholding the valve disk on its seat is one important feature of bothforms of my invention, since by such arrangement reliable operation ofthe valve disk is obtained and trouble from leakage and valve chatteringis avoided. 'At the same time such arrangement makes for easy valveoperation. Also the use of the hose connection to effect the pulling ofthe valve disk to closed position is of advantage since by sucharrangement no extra valve opera-ting part is required, the closing ofthe valve being effected by the hose connector itself. In addition, theinvention results in a mechanism which is simple in structure, reliablein operation, and simple and easy to use,

What I claim as new and desire tov secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing, planar walls extending transverse tothe direction of air flow and having spaced air discharge passage meanswhich extend through said walls, a planar valve disk disposed transverseto the direction of air flow and adjacent to said walls and in advancethereof as regards the direction of air flow, said disk being movablerelative to said walls and when in closed position adapted to block theflow of air through said passage means, means biasing said valve disk toopen position, walls defining a blower opening through said first namedwalls md valve disk which at its inner end communicates with the area onthe upstream side of said valve disk whereby when said valve disk is inclosed position air flows along the upstream side of the valve disk tosaid blower opening and acts on the valve disk in a direction to helphold it in closed position, and means for pulling the valve disk toclosed position including a part connected with said valve disk andadapted to be engaged by a vacuum cleaner hose connector, and a springpressed acmatorl 2. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an end wallprovided with spaced air discharge passage means, a valve member in thecasing in advance of said end wall as regards the direction of air flowfor closing said passage means, means biasing said valve member to openposition, walls defining a blower opening through said end wall, asleeve connected to said valve member which slides in said bloweropening, and means forming a shoulder on said sleeve adapted to beengaged by a latch member on a vacuum cleaner hose connector whereby.

the valve member may be pulled to closed position by outward movement ofa hose connector in said blower opening.

3. The combination defined by claim 2 wherein there is provided inconnection with the blower opening spring means which is compressed bythe insertion of a hose connector into the blower opening and which whenpressure on the hose connector is released moves it outward to effectmovement of the valve member to closed position.

4. In a vacuum cleaner, walls forming an air discharge passage, a valvemember located on the upstream side of said air discharge passage asregards the direction of air flow adapted to be moved into engagementwith said walls to block flow of air therethrough, means biasing saidvalve member to open position, walls defining a blower opening intowhich a vacuum cleaner hose connector having a catch member thereon maybe inserted, a part connected to said valve member slidably mounted insaid blower opening, said part having an abutment adapted to be engagedby a catch member on a vacuum cleaner hose connector inserted into theblower opening, and a spring member adjacent to the blower opening whichis put under compression by the insertion of a hose connector into theblower opening whereby when inward pressure on the hose connector isreleased, the spring member will pull the valve member to closedposition.

5. The combination defined by claim 4 wherein said part is in the formof a sleeve and said abutment is formed by an opening in the sleeve.

' opening one of which is connected, to said valve mmher and the otherbeing adapted to be engaged by a vacuurn cleaner hose connector andmoved inwardly by it when a hose connector is inserted in the bloweropening, a spring which biases said other "sleeve outwardly with respectto the blower opening, a stop for limiting outward movement of suchother sleeve, and means forming an abutment in said one sleeveadapted'to be engaged by a catch on a vacuum cleaner hose connector when'inserted into the blower opening, whereby when a hose con.- nectorhaving a catch thereon is inserted into the blower opening the othersleeve will be moved inwardly to put said spring under compression andthe connector Celeb will engage said abutment so that when pressure onthe hose connector is released the spring will move the valve member toclosed position.

7. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an end wall provided with spacedair discharge passage means, a valve disk in the casing in advance ofsaid end wall as regards the direction of air flow for closing saidpassage means, means biasing said valve disk to open position, wallsdefining a blower opening through said end wall, said valve disk havinga tubular portion which is disposed in said blower opening, meansforming a shoulder on said portion adapted to be engaged by a latchmember on a vacuum cleaner hose connector whereby the valve disk may bepulled to closed position by outward movement of the hose connector insaid blower opening, and means for guiding said valve disk.

8. A device as defined in claim 7 wherein said guiding means comprisesportions on said end wall and portions on said valve disk.

9. A device as defined in claim 8 wherein one of said guiding meansportions comprises a plurality of guide openings and the other of saidguiding means portions comprises a plurality of guide pins.

10. A device as defined in claim 7 wherein said guiding means comprisesthe sole support for said valve disk.

11. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing, walls which define air dischargepassage means which extend circumferentially of the casing, a pluralityof guide openings in said walls, a valve disk adjacent to said walls inadvance thereof as regards the direction of air flow and having aplurality of guide pins slidably mounted in said guide openings, saidvalve disk being movable between an open and a closed position, saidvalve disk when in its open position permitting air to flow through saidpassage means and when in its closed position blocking the flow of.

air through said passage means, means biasing said valve disk to openposition, Walls defining a blower opening through said first-namedwalls, said valve disk including a tubular portion that is movablydisposed within said blower opening, the portion of the valve disksurrounding the tubular portion being adapted to be engaged by a latchon a vacuum cleaner hose connector when the latter is inserted into saidtubular portion whereby said valve disk may be moved to closed positionby outward movement of said hose connector with respect to said bloweropening.

References Cited in the file of this patent STATES PATENTS 2,027,158Forsberg Jan. 7, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 100,534- Sweden Dec. 23, 1940398,933 he t Br i AP 4, 192,9

